for my own good.

I got back from my fun trip to Savannah yesterday morning! Oh the joys of flying standby. Thankfully, I was able to use a buddy pass from a friend but boy o boy ... the waiting game began on my 1st flight out of STL. I had a decent experience though considering the circumstances. 2 flights on 1st class and I got back to STL only a day later than I had planned.

My trip was amazing. I was able to spend time with many friends who matter a lot to me. Good food (of course), lots of laughter, some fun pictures, playing in a bounce house (yes, we're all over the age of 23), very little sleep and 4 church services. Sometimes I feel like I need a vacation after a vacation ... but I'm so thankful to have gone and spend some time with my southern pals! Here are a few pictures ...

A group of 12 of us went to the Melting Pot on Friday evening for some yummy cheese and chocolate! It's such good food ... and by chance I ended up with some pink "forky" things for dipping! Good times!

Lets see ... what else?! Oh -- I am going to see Eclipse tonight, WOOHOO! So far I've heard that this is the best movie out of the 3 which makes it even better! Team Edward, for sure!

No plans yet for the 4th ... maybe fireworks and bbq ... maybe not! :) Looking forward to having next Monday off, though!

I turn 25 in 20 days ... crazy! I guess that's like quarter life crisis or something, right?! Maybe this will be my best year yet. I can only hope! :)

That's all for now. Much love.

Oh - and if you'd like to send me birthday love I'd welcome it with open arms!!

the new lady gaga song is no good.

My title has nothing to do with the rest of my post, but I just wanted to throw it out there ... I really don't like her new song - Alejandro or whatever it's called.

Today was Father's Day ... I have the world's best parents. I don't really need to say anything more.

I started texting one of my best friends a few months ago every time something happened and I wished I had a husband. I had another one of those nights. The sliding door that leads to my washer dryer came off the track and as I tried to put it back on the screws all fell out, it fell over and part of the wall cracked off, and so on and so forth. I hate "home projects" or things like that. I don't like putting furniture together and other like tasks. Possibly because I'm not good at them ... but I'm a girl, I don't want to learn, and unfortunately I'd rather someone else do it for me.

I leave for Savannah in 2 days. STL has a lot more to choose from as far as places to see, things to go, and food to eat goes but there are a few good 'ol restaurants I'm looking forward to eating at. Mellow Mushroom, Miyabi, Spankys, etc etc ... hopefully I can make it to them all.

I was reminded the other day by a friend that the library is for adults too. Since college I think it's left my mind that I could actually go to the library and check out books I want to read (for free) and then bring them back a few weeks later. No charge, I get to read what I want, genius! Anyways, my first trip to the library since college will be tomorrow afternoon. No - nothing life changing just simple joys!

Monday comes so soon!

It's getting hot in here.

Summer isn't even "officially" here yet and it was 100 yesterday and 96 today ... plus the heat index (which I don't completely understand) -- if it's 96 why isn't it just 96? Anyways ... I love summer but I'm not the biggest fan of the 106 degree heat index! Summer = swimming and swimming for me = my apartment's pool which = 567 little kids screaming and splashing ... so, I'll be staying away from the pool for the most part! :)

I've noticed in the last week there have been at least 4-5 additional blogs show up on my facebook and they're all newly married couples. I guess that's the thing to do - get married and start a blog together. Nothing wrong with it (I'm not saying that) - just an interesting "trend". I enjoy reading them for the most part ...

I turn 25 in almost exactly 1 month. I don't feel old. In most places I am in I am the youngest which helps me keep my "youth" but on the other hand I feel like I've done a lot, been to alot, etc etc for only being 25. I guess I haven't gotten married yet but I'm OK with that. Maybe 25 is the year. I read 2 articles on a friend's blog (thanks LS) the other day. One disgusted me and I won't go into detail but I hope and pray that there are some exceptional males that don't fit into that category. The other talked about how divorce rates cut in half once you're 25 (if you wait till then to get married). So -- my chances seem good. However, the whole "there's lots of fish in the sea" doesn't seem to ring true in my life. I read an article today on MSN about "19 Things You Should Never Say to a Single Person" -- most of it was true. You can read it here.

I leave for Savannah bright and early Wednesday morning! I'm looking forward to my mini vaca and seeing good friends! It'll be a fun trip with good food, friends, and some dolphin tours! Now I've only got to make the flights (I'm flying standby thanks to a good friend but I've heard some horror stories of getting bumped and bumped again). We'll hope for the best.

Eclipse comes out in 11 days. I will be seeing it on opening day.

A Tale of Second Chances

So I think I've mentioned before that I'll be reading books for Thomas Nelson and then blogging about them! My first pick was "The Heart Mender" by Andy Andrews. I've heard good things about his stories/books so I thought - why not?! This story was a tale of war, forgiveness, and faith. I read through it in just about 5 hours on a Sunday afternoon. Whether you believe in God or have faith or what not I believe this to be a good read for all!

Not only is it factual - I learned many stories about WWII that I've never heard before ... it's also a story of love and forgiveness and second chances. Something that we probably all deal with at one time or another.

"We begin to forgive by choosing to forgive ... by deciding, not by feeling. Our feelings don't lead us to forgive. Most times, our feelings lead us the other way. That's why a person has to decide to forgive first. Our feelings always follow along behind our decisions."

Here's another quote I really liked ... Danny, an adult man but with the mind of a 10 year old said this "I think you have to forgive him for you ... Because whenever you get hurt by somebody, you can either think about 'em all day long and let 'em keep hurting you inside ... or give them to God... If you forgive them, it doesn't mean that they get away with what they did ... it just means that you don't have to think about it all the time. You can't do anything anyway, except be mad. See? You just give 'em to God. Then you can be happy."

Another quote -- "Just that I must practice forgiveness. It is less an act than a determined way of living. I think that is why we are supposed to forgive 'seventy times seven.' True forgiveness comes only at the conclusion of an inner struggle."

One last good thought from the book ... Margaret, a mother-like figure (who is loving and seems to have it all together) asks -- Where is it written -- not in the Bible, for sure -- that for one person to forgive another, the offender must deserve it?

Anyways -- I recommend the book. It's good for your heart and it's a good source of history as well. I know I've had to learn to forgive -- and it was for myself, so I could have peace ...

Another post will come -- maybe more personal! :)